The Southern Dairy Hub is exploring what the future of dairy farming could look like through a side-by-side comparison of high genetic merit cows run at a 0.5 cows per hectare lower stocking rate than a more traditional herd. Anne Lee speaks with Southern Dairy Hub Acting General Manager Greg Delaney and DairyNZ Senior Scientist Dr Dawn Dalley about the latest results from the demonstration farm, including higher milk solids production per cow with significantly less supplementary feed.

 

Host:
Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country

Guests:
Greg Delaney, General Manager, Southern Dairy Hub
Dr Dawn Dalley, Scientist, DairyNZ

 

Dawn explains how the future herd produced more than 520kg of milksolids per cow compared with 470kg for the standard herd, while using close to 40% of the  supplementary feed last season. In terms of total production, on a per hectare basis, production in the lower stocked, future herd is getting close to that of the standard herd. The future herd production was less than 100kg MS/ha lower than the standard herd. They also discuss grass-based wintering, body condition score changes and the wider potential benefits of running a lower-stocked, high genetic merit system. Greg and Dawn talk about the Hub’s new 1000-square-metre standoff pad, its design and how it’s being used to improve animal welfare during calving. The farm’s HubWatch weekly farm data updates are now available for the new season.  Dawn and Greg also give an update on the process underway to determine the Southern Dairy Hub’s future strategic direction.

 

Sign up to the weekly DAIRY Country email newsletter here: https://dairycountry.co.nz/sign-up/

The Southern Dairy Hub is exploring what the future of dairy farming could look like through a side-by-side comparison of high genetic merit cows run at a 0.5 cows per hectare lower stocking rate than a more traditional herd. Anne Lee speaks with Southern Dairy Hub Acting General Manager Greg Delaney and DairyNZ Senior Scientist Dr Dawn Dalley about the latest results from the demonstration farm, including higher milk solids production per cow with significantly less supplementary feed.
&nbsp;
Host:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country</li>
</ul>
Guests:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Greg Delaney, General Manager, Southern Dairy Hub</li>
<li aria-level="1">Dr Dawn Dalley, Scientist, DairyNZ</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Dawn explains how the future herd produced more than 520kg of milksolids per cow compared with 470kg for the standard herd, while using close to 40% of the&nbsp; supplementary feed last season. In terms of total production, on a per hectare basis, production in the lower stocked, future herd is getting close to that of the standard herd. The future herd production was less than 100kg MS/ha lower than the standard herd. They also discuss grass-based wintering, body condition score changes and the wider potential benefits of running a lower-stocked, high genetic merit system. Greg and Dawn talk about the Hub&rsquo;s new 1000-square-metre standoff pad, its design and how it&rsquo;s being used to improve animal welfare during calving. The farm&rsquo;s HubWatch weekly farm data updates are now available for the new season.&nbsp; Dawn and Greg also give an update on the process underway to determine the Southern Dairy Hub&rsquo;s future strategic direction.
&nbsp;
Sign up to the weekly DAIRY Country email newsletter here: <a href="https://dairycountry.co.nz/sign-up/">https://dairycountry.co.nz/sign-up/</a>

DAIRY Country is your mainstay in dairy farming as your trusted source for adding value to your dairy farming business with seasonal on farm stories and exclusive technical advice weekly with your host, Anne Lee.

Formally the NZ Dairy Exporter since 1925, DAIRY Country is part of the CountryWide network based in Canterbury, New Zealand.

Get in touch with our Anne Lee - anne@countrywidemedia.co.nz if you have a great insight to share with our
thousands of readers and listeners in New Zealand and around the world.

Don’t miss our weekly episodes of the DAIRY Country Podcast by hitting the subscribe button now and join our DAIRY Country weekly email newsletter to get the latest in-depth stories in your mailbox so you are always ahead of the game in the
business of dairy farming into the future.

DAIRY Country is your mainstay in dairy farming as your trusted source for adding value to your dairy farming business with seasonal on farm stories and exclusive technical advice weekly with your host, Anne Lee.
Formally the NZ Dairy Exporter since 1925, DAIRY Country is part of the CountryWide network based in Canterbury, New Zealand.
Get in touch with our Anne Lee - anne@countrywidemedia.co.nz if you have a great insight to share with our thousands of readers and listeners in New Zealand and around the world.
Don&rsquo;t miss our weekly episodes of the DAIRY Country Podcast by hitting the&nbsp;subscribe button now and <a href="https://dairyexporter.co.nz/sign-up/">join our DAIRY Country weekly email newsletter</a> to get the&nbsp;latest in-depth stories in your mailbox so you are always ahead of the game in the business of dairy farming into the future.